DON Hutchison admitted diving to win the late penalty that earned Coventry a point and denied Southampton legend Peter Osgood the perfect send-off.

Hutchison came off the bench to win the hotly-disputed spot-kick after taking a tumble under a challenge from teenage midfielder Nathan Dyer two minutes from time.

The former West Ham and Scotland star, who slammed the penalty past Saints goalkeeper Paul Smith, afterwards owned up to some Didier Drogba-style theatrics.

Hutchison, 34, said: "I was just about to take a strike when I felt a little nudge in my back.

"You know how it is, with a little bit of experience, at that stage of the game when you feel a push you have to go down.

"The chances are you are going to score from the penalty spot rather than with a left-footed volley. Perhaps it was a bit of inexperience from the lad."

Saints and Coventry fans joined together in a minute's applause in memory of Osgood and fellow Southampton old-boy Charlie Wayman before the kick-off.

Grzegorz Rasiak paid his own tribute to Ossie with a headed goal the former England star would have been proud of nine minutes from time.

The Pole, rebuilding his career on the south coast after his Tottenham nightmare, rose highest to nod Andrew Surman's free-kick against the underside of the crossbar and into the back of Martin Fulop's net.

Rasiak revealed the Saints players were swapping stories about Osgood in the dressing room before the game.

World Cup hopeful Rasiak said: "Osgood was a great player. We were talking about him in the dressing room and we really wanted to win for him.

Saints hopes of sending Osgood a victory salute were ended by Hutchison's late leveller.

While the home side have little to play for between now and the end of the season Hutchison reckons Coventry's veterans XI can still mount a late push for the play-offs.

Hutchison, who was making his Football League debut when most of Saints' young guns were still wearing nappies, added: "We have got a lot of boys in our side who know how to look after themselves.

"That is the type of performance we have to produce away from home.

"We are only seven points outside the playoffs with ten games to go so we must have a chance, especially if we can pick up points on the road."